If you are thinking of putting plants on a grave in Ewhurst cemetery, I would think twice.

There is a thief living in Ewhurst who doesn’t consider it wrong to steal from the dead.

This is the second time I have had plants stolen from my father’s grave.The first time I thought (in an effort to be charitable) that perhaps a wild animal such as a rabbit or deer had eaten them. Although it is unlikely that an animal would eat the entire plant, roots included and leave the container unturned.

Recently I took a container planted with a vivid blue heather up to the cemetery. When my mother visited soon after it was to discover that although the container was where I had left it, the plant and most of the compost had vanished.

Stealing from graves is hardly likely to be a crime that anyone would be arrested for, but it is still theft and can be extremely upsetting to the relatives.

For my part I hope that the person responsible finds that their stolen goods wither up and die on replanting. I am not fooling myself by thinking that the person responsible will read this letter. Anyone who can stoop low enough to steal from graves is hardly likely to possess sufficient intelligence to be able to read a newspaper, but I hope that this letter will warn others.

You would be better off donating money to your loved one’s favourite charity. At least that way it won’t end up in a thief’s garden. SANDRA AINSLEY Cranleigh.